


Behind the Buttons

by Sproutings



Category: Billabong, Mary Grant Bruce
Genre: 1920s, Australia, Books, F/M, Love, Mates, Separation, Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-08-13 06:28:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20169673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sproutings/pseuds/Sproutings
Summary: When Wally is sent to Queensland, far from Billabong, Norah is surprised by some feelings that this pulls up, and questions how Wally feels.





	Behind the Buttons

As Jim and Wally sat, discussing Wally's plan to go North, Norah was tucking Mary Kate into bed.  
"You settle down, now, for I've had a long day and I expect not to be called in here during the night!"  
She shook her finger at young Mary Kate, who giggled in reply, with the snowy white quilt pulled up to her chin. She couldn't take Norah seriously with that glint of mischief in her eye.  
"If you wish't, I'll be as quiet and meek as one o' your fat li'l lambies! Now, kiss me goodnight!" She demanded.  
Norah knelt and gently kissed the little girl's smooth forehead. She rose, and as she turned to shut the door, she looked back at the little figure - so serene - before kissing her goodnight on her fingers. She shut the door and Mary Kate listened to the light steps fading away, before Dreamland claimed her.  
Nothing in particular was on Norah's mind as she made her way to the dining room, skipping blithely down the stairs, but she felt a hum in the air as she stood in the doorway.  
Jim told her that Wally was to leave as soon as possible to go to his ill brother in Queensland. Norah was surprised, in no good way, to hear this news: but she took control of the fluttery feeling in her stomach by busying about, getting her sewing equipage together and speaking lightly of buttons, darning, packing - trying to dodge the topic of what time and space should separate them.  
When it became evident that she could not forget about how long Wally would be gone from Billabong - why did Wally not say he'd be back soon? Did he want to leave the station? - Norah beat a hasty retreat.  
Ruminating on these questions, Norah automatically mounted the stairs on the way to sort through wardrobes, drawers and cupboards to hunt for missing buttons, and the clothing missing said buttons. After all, the habit of working while playing was very strongly inbuilt in her from the long, sunny days spent on the station. Now, despite an odd, chokey feeling in her throat, and that silly feeling still in her stomach, she could easily carry on in her task. Why, it was only natural that she should miss Wally, her childhood friend and mate, when he would be gone from Billabong.  
Once Norah was in Jim and Wally's large, sparsely-furnished room, she paused before hunting through the clothes.  
She had been in her brother's bedroom and infinite number of times: running in to throw a wet sponge at her brother, still a-bed, to bring tea in to Jim on his birthdays, and every Christmas. She had, at times, snuck in to straighten it - not that he had expected it, or even thought of her doing so, but his sister's tidy soul had rebelled at the thought of him returning to such a pig-sty, and had taken quiet joy in seeing his pleasure. She had gone in to get clothes to mend for him in the old days before his return to school. She was doing just the same now, but for Wally.  
Wally. Now she was mending and sorting clothes for a longer, further trip. For Wally. Norah steeled herself and walked across to Wally's bed and chest of drawers. As her nimble fingers sorted and folded, she thought how very bizarre it seemed that Wally was leaving his family.... to go to his family.  
"We always were such chums. When he's been so very much a part of Billabong and the family, how can it be that he' not actually one of us?"  
Suddenly a thought occurred to her and she looked up to find her own reflection in the mirror - wide eyes, and rosy cheeks growing deeper and deeper red.  
She swallowed, shook her head at such foolish nonsense, and kept on with her work. She did try to avoid looking at her crimson reflection in the mirror anymore though.

Later that evening after a rather solemn and tense dinner, Norah poked her curly head around the door into Brownie's domain.  
The cook had just dismissed the two kitchen maids, and those two nymphs had flown to curl their hair in the lamplight of their rooms, and the kitchen was gleaming with their work under Brownie's vigilant, yet kind, eyes. Mrs Brown herself was just brewing a cup of tea and welcomed her pet gladly.  
"If you're not too full, just sit yourself down, I'll just fetch you a big mug and we can have a good long chat."  
Too shrewd to say anything, Brownie had guessed that Norah had come in for a particular reason tonight, and knew just how to help the frank, but inexperienced Norah disclose her thoughts. Brownie, however, could not help an anxious glance.  
Norah smiled: she knew her beloved Brownie had already guessed that something was on her mind - and how comforting it was to sit with Brownie, even if it was to be in silence!  
Not that that ever happened once these two seated themselves together! As they worked in the kitchen (for Norah refused to let Brownie wait on her after a long day, and Brownie was pleased to submit) to get tea and biscuits over to the table, they chatted about this, that, and the other.  
Sitting down, Brownie said "And isn't it a shame for young Mr Wally to be off tomorrow. So early, too. Doesn't seem all that long since you got back from England."  
Norah poured her milk and stirred it deliberately. "It is definitely a shame. We'll all miss him. But, Brownie dear, why do I feel like he belongs here, I mean really belongs? We're closer than friends, more like family?"  
"Well", Brownie replied, sipping her tea just as deliberately, "I guess it's because he's always been here."  
Norah sighed and pushed her hair out of her face.  
"I understand that. But - oh - I can't explain it very well. I guess I just don't want him to be away from Billabong for too long."  
Gently, Brownie took her hand and said "Maybe it's that you don't want him to be away from you."  
Norah looked up in swift alarm. For a very short moment her instinct was to deny everything, snatch her hand away and reproach Mrs Browne for suggesting such a ridiculous, overly familiar thing! However, her generous disposition and natural love for Brownie overrode this, and her true instinct to hug Brownie, took over.  
"Mister Wally will be back soon, you can count on it. The master and Mister Jim will see to it, don't you worry."  
Norah, glad her face was hidden while it rested on the comfortable shoulder, could nevertheless hide the tremble in her voice as she asked "But why would he stay away? He never once said he'd be back soon - he hinted that he'd be gone for a while , just about."  
Brownie could only pat her on the back and reassure her that it would all turn out alright. She would just have to wait and see. Norah laughed, a little shakily.  
"Anyway, if I have to rely on Dad and Wally to bring him back, I'm not sure I'd want him!"  
These words of mock-rebellion comforted Brownie but little. Still, she knew her lamb was strong and would cope. She just hoped that Norah would keep faith in Wally.  
Brownie had known him and been fond of him for so very long. Perhaps her own wishful thinking had tricked her, perhaps she had seen plain hints that Wally cared for Norah. Either way, Brownie would not let her Norah be disappointed if she could help it. She thanked herself silently that Norah had learned how to cook a meal better than most wives by the tender age of twelve, inbetween gallops down the far plains. No man could want better.  
And so, Brownie was satisfied.  
Norah felt this stalwart confidence and was comforted by it. Despite her inexperience in the way of love, she had trust and blind faith.

Norah made a special effort over her toilet early the next morning - not that it could ever be very complicated. A dainty blue frock that she assumed Wally liked, a brush to run not so haphazardly through her bouncing curls, and a wide ribbon to keep them in check.  
If she had been a romantically-inclined young damsel, who had filled her head with unlikely tales, she may have sighed languorously over her reflection, and even cut a lock of her hair for the soon-to-be absent hero.  
Luckily, she was not and did neither of these things as it would have made her late for breakfast, and would have caused the aforesaid hero to depart more swiftly and with greater alacrity from the property, with or without his luggage.  
So, Norah had the joy of surprising the two boys at breakfast and of seeing Wally's quiet pleasure. It was a jolly meal: fast and with the knowledge of oncoming separation, but with sleep and thought behind it to strengthen the three.  
At Wally's goodbye, Norah was almost short in her speech, but she knew he would be sure of her sincerity.  
After he shook hands with her, she rubbed her own and knew that the tingle would stay until they were to meet again.


End file.
